Sunday 11 November 2018 16:40, UK
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva says he admires Jose Mourinho but has warned Manchester United's title hopes could be over if they lose at the Etihad Stadium.
The 24-year-old Portugual international believes his country has benefited from his fellow countryman's glittering coaching career.
But United trail City by nine points going into the Manchester derby on Sunday live on Sky Sports and Silva thinks Mourinho's team will have to win to stand any chance of catching the reigning champions.
"Mourinho represents our country in a very good way," Silva told the Mirror. "It's good for us, as a small country, that we have people like Cristiano Ronaldo and Mourinho representing us at a high level.
"I am like all Portuguese people in that I admire Mourinho a lot.
"But how many points are United behind us? I think it's nine. And I just think, looking at the title race from this point, that, if they are already nine points, then it is already more difficult for them to play for the title than probably Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City or even Tottenham or Arsenal.
"I think that, not because Man United are not a very good team, but because it is already very difficult for them.
"It would be even worse for them if they were 12 points behind us - so we will try to make that happen.
"We will try to win the game - not only to have a bigger distance to United, but also to try to keep the first position. We want to keep the distance to Liverpool, to Chelsea and to the other contenders."
